Detroit Tigers trade OF Robbie Grossman to Atlanta Braves

The Detroit Tigers have finally made a trade

On Sunday afternoon, it was reported that the Detroit Tigers were “aggressively shopping” outfielder Robbie Grossman. Late last night, they were able to find a partner.

Multiple reports and a team confirmation revealed that the Tigers had shipped Grossman to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Low-A left-handed pitching prospect Kris Anglin. Anglin is not listed on any top Braves prospect lists.

Some Tigers fans will probably be upset at the lackluster return, but Grossman didn’t have a lot of value. He’s got a .595 OPS this season. Nobody is going to give up anything of value for him with numbers like that.

Where what little value he has does have comes from is his stats against left-handed pitching this season. He’s got a .999 OPS this year against southpaws, which is more than likely why the Braves traded for him. Atlanta’s outfielders are batting just .235 with a 90 wRC+ against lefties this year. They’ll almost certainly use him as a platoon bat.

As for Kris Anglin, he’s put up pretty average numbers this season between rookie ball and Low-A. A 16th-round pick in the 2021 draft, the soon-to-be 21-year-old has a 4.64 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 52.1 innings this season. For his career thus far, he’s averaging just over 10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press reports that Tigers pithing coach Chris Fetter recruited Anglin while he was the pitching coach for the University of Michigan, so there is some familiarity with him from within the organization. Hopefully, Fetter and Gabe Ribas can do something to help him fix that 5.64 BB/9 in Low-A this season.

Despite an awful 2022 season, Grossman had his moments in a Detroit Tigers uniform. He had multiple walk-off hits last season, from the homer to walk-off the Yankees to the suicide squeeze play against the Astros, there were no shortage of highlights in Grossman’s short Tigers career.

The MLB Trade Deadline is at 6 p.m. tonight, and the Detroit Tigers surely aren’t done. Relievers Michael Fulmer and Andrew Chafin are both expected to be moved today. If/when that happens, we’ll be here to break it all down.